


How Could They Move Forward?

by Gottoomanyships



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Background Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Is Poly Because Avengers, F/F, F/M, FWB, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Multi, Past Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Past Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Steve and Tony were never in a relationship, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Nightmares, Tony Stark Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tony Stark Has Trust Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, everyone is fwb, idk - Freeform, mentions of trauma, more tags to come, probably out of character, stephen strange & tony stark friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 22:41:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19094503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gottoomanyships/pseuds/Gottoomanyships
Summary: I don't even know what this is. I wrote it as a Stony Rp prompt and it kind of got away from me. No Beta. All mistakes are mine. Rating will eventually changeSixteen hours. Forty-five minutes. Fifteen Seconds. The suit was busted. His body felt like lead. The only thing that hurt worse was the fact that Steve had chosen Bucky over him. Steve, who Tony had trusted and relied on as a team member, as… more, sometimes. And yet here he was. Stranded in a tin can on some mountain in Siberia. It was… it felt like the ultimate betrayal. He had known, all those years. How could Rogers even look Tony in the face? Tony couldn’t tell if the ache that radiated in his chest was from the new knowledge he’d acquired or from where Captain Rogers had lodged that vibranium dinner plate into his body. Sixteen hours. Forty-five minutes. Fifteen seconds. That’s how long it took for the team to finally find him, well what was left of it anyway.Fast forward two years, the rest of the team finally received a pardon now that they are required to be together for another big mission. Tony is… on edge, to say the least. Even after that last-ditch effort to save whatever had been there between them, Tony hadn’t forgiven Rogers at all





	How Could They Move Forward?

Sixteen hours. Forty-five minutes. Fifteen Seconds. The suit was busted. His body felt like lead. The only thing that hurt worse was the fact that Steve had chosen Bucky over him. Steve, who Tony had trusted and relied on as a team member, as… more, sometimes. And yet here he was. Stranded in a tin can on some mountain in Siberia. It was… it felt like the ultimate betrayal. He had known, all those years. How could Rogers even look Tony in the face? Tony couldn’t tell if the ache that radiated in his chest was from the new knowledge he’d acquired or from where Captain Rogers had lodged that vibranium dinner plate into his body. Sixteen hours. Forty-five minutes. Fifteen seconds. That’s how long it took for the team to finally find him, well what was left of it anyway.

Fast forward two years, the rest of the team finally received a pardon now that they are required to be together for another big mission. Tony is… on edge, to say the least. Even after that last-ditch effort to save whatever had been there between them, Tony hadn’t forgiven Rogers at all. The scar on his chest ached as he anxiously paced and waited for the estranged Avengers to make their way into the new compound. The billionaire heard the Quin-Jet before he saw it and he scolded himself to really get it together. All he had to do was be professional Tony. They just needed to get this mission out of the way and then he could go back to annoying Strange and Rhodey.

Steve hasn’t stopped pacing since they were halfway out to the tower. What in God’s name was he supposed to say to Tony after… well all of that? First the Accords, and oh God, then the whole thing with Buck. He had tried. He’d sent Tony the phone with his number if Tony ever needed him, to show him that they were still friends… or whatever it was that they were; Steve still wasn’t completely sure. He could feel the rest of the team’s eyes on him and he knew Nat was holding herself back from asking anything too personal. Steve is only seated once they prepare to land, knee bouncing the entire time. Would Tony still be angry? Of course. How were they supposed to fix this mess? The rest of the team descends from the jet and Rogers is surprised to see Colonel Rhodes is waiting for them in place of Stark. His confusion must be plain as day because Rhodes actually _rolls his eyes_ and turns his attention back to the tower.

“Stark is busy. I’m here in his place to get everyone situated. You all will be given rooms in the south wing of the new facility. You will be given key cards with clearance… but only to those areas which they open. No hard feelings.” Rhodes shrugs and hands each ex-Avenger a black key card. “Welcome back.”

Nat turns the key card over in her hands and looks at Steve with a slight shrug. Well… it could be worse. The estranged Avengers follow the Lieutenant Colonel down a few hallways, past the central meeting room where they had all shared good times. It was clouded over however, with the last time they all sat there… the Accords. Steve still didn’t think he’d chosen the wrong side of things, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. They cross a glass bridge and Rhodes motions to the scanner.

 “Choose whatever room you like, they’re all empty. There’s a common area for your team to settle into with a fully stocked kitchen. We’ll be meeting for a quick briefing around six, but we still haven’t received the exact time and location of the mission, for now just enjoy the downtime.”

Before Steve’s mouth and brain can confer with each other on just how stupid it was, the super-soldier asks, “What about Tony?” He winces internally but doesn’t take the question back.

Rhodes scoffs and runs his hands over the devices supporting his legs (again Steve tries not to wince, his team had done that) “ _Mr. Stark_ will be at the briefing. Is there anything else?” When no one says anything, he nods and goes on his way. How dare Rogers even have the audacity to ask after Tony. After all that he and Barnes had done? After he had abandoned the team in favor of being a fugitive. Rhodey sighs and rolls his shoulders, letting everything simply melt away. He hadn’t forgiven any of them for anything, just like Tony, but he couldn’t let infighting ruin things before they had even began. When he returns to their side of the tower, Tony and Stephen are locked in conversation in the common room. Tony spots him immediately and sets his glass down.

“Everything go okay?” Tony asks. Rhodey nods, greeting Strange and settling for a glass of water.

“It was fine. Rogers seemed surprised to see me in your place. His face was priceless.” The lieutenant grins. “Just… promise me that you’ll be careful around him, Tones. I know you guys- “

“Relax platypus, I know.” Tony gives a little grin, though even to himself it feels a little uncertain. Why would Steve even ask after him? _He_ was the one that left. _He_ was the one who chose Barnes over Tony. It wouldn’t ever be the same between them. He was just glad that he could give himself a little breather by putting them all in the South Wing, though he was sure he would be hearing about that little stunt. Tony wasn’t an idiot, he knew that they should all be… near, to try and find some sense of camaraderie, but he couldn’t. Not yet. He felt Stephen’s hand on his shoulder.

“It’s going to be fine, Tony. You have us both here. Once we relocate the rest of the team, it won’t feel as suffocating.” Stephen of course _knew_ where the other members of Tony’s team were. A simple locating spell like the one he had done for Loki and Thor was all that it took to find Vision and Wanda. But it wasn’t the best time to call them in. So, for now, he could keep his knowledge to himself. He also knew that James Barnes was alive and well and in Wakanda. He supposes they could just count themselves lucky that Rogers hadn’t thought it prudent to bring the Winter Soldier along.

Tony leaned into the touch and snorted. “Well, at least most of them. T’challa is busy being a king and we definitely don’t need to put the kid into anymore dangerous situations.” Even if he had been pretty useful. Besides, he was pretty sure that Peter was getting into his own brand of trouble back in Queens. And Ant-dude or whatever his name was… well Tony was pretty sure he was on house arrest.

Stephen hummed in response, squeezing Tony’s shoulder for a moment before moving away. “Well, we should at the very least prepare ourselves for the meeting tonight. No doubt it’s going to be a fun one.”

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, there you have it. I don't know if I'll be posting anymore of it. Sorry it's so short!


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